Bicycle attached toy machine gun



Feb. 2, 1954 E. s. coNNELL, JR 2,667,720

BICYCLE ATTACHED Toy MACHINE GUN Filed sept. 1a, 1951 INVENTOR.

EVAN S. CoNNE| l ,JR. BY

AT TQRNEYS Patented Feb. 2, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT `OFFICE BICYCLEATT-AUHED TOY MACHINE GUN Evan S. Connell, Jr., Santa Cruz, Calif.

Application September 18, "1951, vSerial No. l247,116

6 Claims.

1 The present invention relates to a toy machine gun attachment for abicycle, or the like. It

lconsists or the combinations, constructions, and

arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

Among the various objects of this invention, I propose to provide a toymachine gun, which is adapted to be mounted on a bicycle, or the like,at substantially handle-bar level thereon, thus allowing the gun to beactuated and directed conveniently by the cyclist. Simulated ring isobtained by moving a spring-like finger into engagement with the spokesof a bicycle wheel during rotation of the latter, producing noisesresembling the iiring of a machine gun. The device is intended foramusement purposes, the rate and volume of simulated iiring beingcontrolled by the cyclist. The device will be particularly appealing toyoungsters.

Another and important object of the invention is to produce anattachment of the character described, which may be readily secured to abicycle, or the like, without requiring any alterations in the latter.

Moreover, propose to provide a toy kmachine gun attachment that issimple in construction, durable and efficient for the purpose intended,and easily adjusted to dierent sizes of bicycles.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the Ispecication continues.The novel `features will be pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

Drawing For a better understanding of the invention, reference should behad to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this application, inwhich:

Figure l is an elevational View of the forward portion of a conventionalbicycle, disclosing my toy machine gun mounted thereon;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional View taken along the piane II-II ofFigure 1, illustrating` the spokaengaging linger and the mounting bandthereof; and

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View of the universal connectiondisposed between the gun and the steering bracket of the bicycle, thisView being taken along the line lll-II of Figure l.

While l have shown only the preferred form of my invention, it should beunderstood that various chang-es, or niodications, may be made withinthe scope of the annexed claims without departing from the spiritthereof.

. customary' manner.

As shown in Figure 1, a steering bracket B is secured to the upper endof the -front fork by a vbolt 15. This same bracket is fashioned with aclamp i 6 into which handle-bars Il are inserted. It is well known thatthe handle-.bars

are employed for steering the bicycle, and that spokes i8 -of the wheelmust pass in consecutive order between the legs lia as the wheel i2 isturned.

For the purpose of mounting a toy machine gun 1C on 4the bicycle atsubstantially handle-bar level, and at the same time permit the gun tobe .pointed by the lcyclist in desired directions, I make use of auniversal connection indicated at D in Figures 1 and 3.

:In its `structural features, the rconnection D has been shown asincluding an L-shaped meinber i9 having its horizontal leg 19a securedto Ithe steering bracket B by the bolt l5 previously Al'novernenttherebetween. In `order to frictionally retain the gun in adjustedposition, I have provided a spring-pressed shoe 24 on the interior ofthe tube 22, which bears against the ball 2| in the manner of a brake.

It is desirable to mount the gun C for vun.'- versal movement so that`the cyclist can point it in the proper direction, thus contributing tothe appeal of the vdevice to youngsters. However, various 'types ofuniversal connections may `be resortedto for this purpose, and I do notwish 'to be 'limited to `the Specific details lof the connection Ddescribed above.

The :toy lgun G is V'fashioned vrwith a pistol -grip 25, which isdesigned for grasping by the cyclist. Inasmuch as this grip is disposedon about the level as the grips ila of the handle-bars, it will be veryconvenient for the cyclist to utilize one hand for directing the muzzle26 in the desired direction at a simulated target. The particular designof the gun may be changed to suit the fancy of the manufacturer.

For simulating machine gun lire, and thereby contributing to the appealof the device to youngsters, I have provided a resilient strip-likespokeengaging finger E, which is actuated by a cable F and a trigger 2?,the latter being pivotally secured at 28 to the body of the gun. Thisfinger may be fashioned from a leaf-spring, with the set thereofdesigned to normally position the free tip 29 of the spring out ofengagement with the path 30 dened by the rotating wheel spokes I8 (SeeFigure 2).

As illustrated in the drawings, a band 3i is adjustably clamped to oneoi the legs Ila of the steering fork H by a bolt 32. In Figure 2, I showthe finger E as having its end 33 anchored to this band. Quiteobviously, the band 3l may be adjusted vertically along the length ofthe fork leg so that the cable F will be taut when the linger occupiesits normal full-line position in Figure 2, that is, the finger tip 23 isout of contact with the rotating wheel spokes.

The nnger E is fashioned with a loop Sli in the intermediate portionthereof, and-the cable F extends across this loop. This cable is guidedthrough an eyelet 35, and has its lower end fastened by a ring 36provided'on the flexible portion 3l' of the spring finger. Figure 2, thefinger portion 3l extends at an angle relative to the plane of thewheel, and will yield as each spoke strikes the tip 29 so as to permitpassage of the spoke.

It will be apparent that when the reach 38 of the cable F is pulledupwardly by retractng the trigger 2l, the portion 3l of the springfinger will be flexed into the dotdash line position shown in Figure 2,thus constricting the loop 313.

At this time the end 2S of the iinger will strike successive spokes ofthe wheel during rotation of the latter, producing a noise simulatingthe firing or the gun. As soon as pressure is relaxed on the trigger, asuitable spring 33 will return the trigger to its normal position, asshown in Figure 1, and the finger tip 29 will move out of engagementwith the spokes. Thus the noise simulating the machine gun firing willcease.

In order to guide the cable F within the gun, I have provided pulleys 49and l over which it is trained. This will preclude the cable fromwearing and will lead it to the trigger from the proper side of thelatter so that retraction of the trigger will operate to pull the reach38 upwardly. This reach is disposed adjacent to the universal connectionD in order that mere swinging of the gun will not operate to ilex thefinger E into engagement with the spokes of the wheel.

Summary of operation Assuming that the toy machine gun C is supported bythe universal connection D on the steering bracket B, as illustrated inFigure 1, the band Si should be adjusted along the length of the forkleg i ia until the cable F is taut and the free end 29 of the resilientnger E is out of contact with the wheel spokes i3. At this time, thebolt 32 should be tightened so as to hold the band 3l in place. 4

When the cyclist desires to re the gun, the

As illustrated in grip 25 and the trigger 21 may be grasped readily inone hand, leaving the other hand of the cyclist free to steer thebicycle by means of the handle-bars I1. The gun may be pointed in the.desired direction. Upon retractng the trigger,

the cable reach 38 will be drawn upwardly, resulting in moving thefinger tip 28 into the path 30 of the rotating spokes I8. As each spokestrikes the resilient finger E, a noise will be produced that willsimulate the firing of the gun.

As soon as pressure is relaxed on the trigger, the resilient linger Ewill return to its full line position shown in Figure 1, moving the tip29 thereof out of engagement with the spokes of the rotating wheel andstop-ping the "ring of the top machine gun.

I claim:

1. In an attachment of the character described: a toy machine gun,including a trigger; means mounting this gun on a bicycle, or the like,at substantially handle-bar level thereon in a position for grasping anddirect aiming of the gun by a cyclist, while riding the bicycle; aresilientfnger having means connected thereto for supporting the fingeron a part of the bicycle adjacent to a wheel thereof; the finger havinga free tip normally disposed out of engagement with spokes of the wheel;this inger being adapted to be flexed into a position in which thespokes will strike the tip during rotation of the wheel to produce anoise simulating firing of the gun; and means operated by the triggerunder direct control of the cyclist for flexing the finger into the pathof the wheel spokes, when desired by the cyclist, to thereby selectivelylire the gun at will.

2. The combination as dened in claim l, in which the mounting means forthe gun includes a universal connection arranged so that the gun may beelevated, depressed and traversed in desired directions by the cyclist.

3. In an attachment of the character described: a toy machine gun,including a trigger; means mounting this gun on a steering bracket of abicycle, or the like, in a position for grasping and direct aiming ofthe gun by a cyclist, while riding the bicycle; a resilient fingerhaving means Y connected thereto for supporting the finger on a part ofthe bicycle; the finger having a free tip normally disposed out ofengagement with spokes of a wheel of the bicycle; this nger beingadapted to be flexed into a position in which the spokes will strike thetip during rotation of the wheel to produce a noise simulating firing ofthe gun; and means operated by the trigger under direct control of thecyclist and connected to the nger for flexing the latter into the pathof the wheel spokes, when desired by the cyclist, to thereby selectivelyfire the gun at will.

4. In an attachment of the character described: a toy machine gun,including a trigger; means mounting this gun on a steering bracket of abicycle, or the like, in a position for grasping and direct aiming ofthe gun by a cyclist; a band adapted to be clamped on a fork of thebicycle; a resilient finger carried by the band; the finger having afree tip normally disposed out of engagement with spokes of a wheeljournalled in the fork; this finger being adapted to be flexed into aposition in which the spokes will strike the tip during rotation of theWheel to produce a noise simulating ring of the gun; and a cable havingits opposite ends connected to the trigger and finger, respectively, andbeing movable by the trigger under direct control of the cyclist forflexing the finger into the path of the Wheel spokes, when desired bythe cyclist, to thereby selectively re the gun at Will; the band beingadjustable along the length of the fork to tighten the cable taut.

5. The combination as defined in claim 4, in which mounting means forthe gun includes a universal connection arranged so that the gun may beelevated, depressed and traversed in desired directions by the cyclist;the cable having a reach disposed adjacent to this universal connectionso that swinging of the gun will not operate to flex the nger intoengagement with the spokes of the wheel.

6. In a toy machine gun attachment for a bicycle, or the like: aresilient strip-like finger dening a loop in an intermediate portionthereof the finger further dening end sections disposed on oppositesides of the loop and diverging relative to one another; means forsecuring one end section of the nger to a leg of a bicycle fork, withthe other end section being free and directed toward spokes of a wheeljournalled in the fork at an angle relative to the general plane of theWheel; the loop having a set therein so that the free end section of thenger normally will be out of engagement With the spokes during rotationof the wheel; a cable extending across the loop; means anchoring one endof this cable to one end section of the finger; and an eyelet mounted inthe other end section of the finger; the cable being guided through thiseyelet for constricting the loop and for moving the free end section ofthe finger into the path of the wheel spokes upon pulling the other endof the cable.

EVAN S. COINNELL, JR.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 424,835 Swan Apr. 1, 1890 556,459 Craig Mar. 17, 1895 595,334Paehtz Dec. 14, 1897 665,452 Moffat Jan. 8, 1901 1,827,642 Daimaru Oct.13, 1931 2,248,596 Wilsey July 8, 1941 2,523,911 McKay Sept. 26, 19502,624,156 Meyer, Jr Jan. 6, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date29,549 Great Britain 1896

